Public Notice

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency

Redesignation and Maintenance Plan for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, Ohio

Ozone Nonattainment Area

Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit 

Counties

Notice is hereby given that the Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, 

(Ohio EPA) is requesting that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. 

EPA) revise the current air quality designation for the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain, Ohio

area; Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit 

counties to attainment with respect to the 2008 eight-hour ozone national ambient air 

quality standard (NAAQS). Air quality monitoring data collected between 2013 and 2015

in the region demonstrated attainment of the NAAQS and there was evidence that the 

improved air quality is due to permanent, enforceable emission reductions. In addition, 

existing requirements are sufficient to maintain the 2008 eight-hour ozone standard in 

this area at least ten years into the future. Projected emissions and computer models 

show that existing state and federal emission reduction requirements are sufficient to 

attain and maintain the NAAQS in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area. Therefore, Ohio 

EPA proposes to utilize existing emission inventory information and projections of future 

emissions as the demonstration of the ability to maintain the NAAQS in the ClevelandAkron-Lorain area in the future.

The Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area is currently designated as nonattainment for the 2008 

ozone standard. As part of an acceptable maintenance plan, Ohio EPA is required to 

develop a contingency plan to provide for additional emission reductions if a violation of 

the NAAQS is monitored after the area has been redesignated. The plan which Ohio 

EPA is proposing to U.S. EPA as part of this redesignation contains reductions which 

will help alleviate the ambient problem until a revised SIP can be developed. 

The State of Ohio proposes to:

1. Request the U.S. EPA redesignate the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area to 

attainment with respect to the 2008 ozone NAAQS and revise the maintenance 

plan. This request will document that existing enforceable control measures are 

responsible for the observed improvement in air quality.

2. Designate existing controls as sufficient to maintain the NAAQS into the future.

3. Commit to the proposed contingency plan.

These actions must be noticed to allow public comment and to satisfy U.S. EPA 

requirements for public involvement in SIP related activities. This notice addresses 

Ohio EPA’s reliance on the emission projections as evidence of attainment and 

maintenance and the commitment to institute contingency measures if ambient 
exceedances or violations trigger the contingency plan requirements. Written comments 

will be received on or before June 27, 2016 at the following address:

E-mail: erica.fettydavis@epa.ohio.gov

Mailing address: Erica Fetty

Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, DAPC

Lazarus Government Center

P.O. Box 1049

Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049

Phone: (614) 644-2310

Pursuant to Section 119.03 of the Ohio Revised Code, a public hearing on this 

redesignation request will be conducted as follows: June 27, 2016 at 3:00 P.M., Ohio 

EPA Northeast District Office, located at 2110 East Aurora Road, Twinsburg, Ohio

44087. 

All interested persons are entitled to attend or be represented at the hearings and give 

written or oral comments on these changes. All oral comments presented at the 

hearing, and all written statements submitted at the hearing or to the above address by 

the close of business on June 27, 2016 will be considered by Ohio EPA prior to final 

action on this redesignation. Written statements submitted after June 27, 2016 may be 

considered as time and circumstances permit, but will not be part of the official record of 

the hearing.

This redesignation and maintenance request is available on Ohio EPA DAPC’s Web 

page for electronic downloading at: http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dapc/SIP/2008.aspx. 

Questions regarding accessing the web site should be directed to Paul Braun at 614-

644-3734; other questions or comments about this document should be directed to 

either Erica Fetty, (614)-644-2310, Erica.FettyDavis@epa.ohio.gov or Jennifer Van 

Vlerah at (614) 644-3696, Jennifer.VanVlerah@epa.ohio.gov or mailed to Erica Fetty or 

Jennifer Van Vlerah at the above address.